FUEL TV debuts 'Benson Henderson: Rising Up' Wednesday at 11 p.m. ET

In advance of Benson Henderson’s upcoming UFC on FOX 5 title defense against Nate Diaz (16-7 MMA, 10-5 UFC), FUEL TV has produced a one-hour special dedicated to detailing the rise of the UFC’s current lightweight champion.

The special promises to take “a look at the UFC lightweight champion’s struggles and motivations that helped him become one of the best in the UFC.”

The special debuts on Wednesday at 11 p.m. ET.

Replays of the special air throughout the week in anticipation of this weekend’s UFC on FOX 5 event, which is headlined by Henderson vs. Diaz.

In addition to Henderson (17-2 MMA, 5-0 UFC), his trainer, mother, brother and girlfriend all make appearances throughout the special, and each discuss what “Smooth” considers the defining moment of his career: losing his WEC lightweight title to Anthony Pettis in the final round of the final fight in the history of the promotion.

“For me, it was a milestone – a catapult to get better,” Henderson says. “A lot of times some people face adversity and they have a tough loss, a close loss, and then they kind of go down. I think of some of the best champs – (Georges) St-Pierre, Anderson Silva, a lot of NFL guys and NBA guys. They hit that and they get better from there. I want to be that guy.

“I used the Pettis fight [to become] a better fighter.”

Since that loss to Pettis, Henderson has since earned five consecutive wins, including a UFC 144 victory over Frankie Edgar that earned him the UFC lightweight title and a rematch victory for his first title defense at this past August’s UFC 150 card. Now he meets Diaz at Saturday’s FOX-broadcast event in Seattle with the hope of securing the second defense of his title.

His head coach, John Crouch, believes its Henderson’s qualities as a human rather than his techniques alone that have been the key to his success.

“The most special things about Ben are his willpower and his heart,” Crouch says in the show. “Those are things that you can’t really teach people. It’s just something either that you have or you don’t have, and [Henderson] has it in spades. He’s so mentally tough and man, you’ll never break that kid.”

Henderson is just the fifth man to hold the UFC lightweight title. Future UFC Hall of Famer, who also fights at UFC on FOX 5, holds the promotional record with three successful defenses of the belt. Edgar defended the belt twice and retained it once after a draw with Gray Maynard.

Henderson hopes to surpass those accomplishments with his own legacy.

“The best ever,” Henderson says. “Period. No ifs, ands or buts about it. I want to be the best fighter ever.”

As the UFC 189 tour made its last stop in Dublin, featherweight champ Jose Aldo was met with a torrent of abuse from the Irish fans. It might have been unpleasant, but it might also have been just what he needed.